Renowned Iranian writer and film director Shahram Mokri will be presiding over the selection of Kannada (a southern Indian language) films for the Netpac (Network for Promotion of Asian Cinema) prize at the 7th Bengaluru International Film Festival.
Shahram Mokri and the Turkish film maker Mevlut Akkaya will be setting a precedent as the first international jurors at this film festival. “Making their mark as talented and experienced film makers these landmark jurors will add an innovative and unique perspective to the film festival,” reports timesofindia.com.
An award winning director, Mokri made international waves as his acclaimed film ‘Fish & Cat’ flew through a plethora of international and local festivals managing to grab the ‘Special Orizzonti Award for Innovative Content’ at the 70th Venice Film Festival as well as ‘Best Director’ at the 3rd Hanoi International Film Festival. Mokri’s short film ‘The Dragonfly Storm’ was also awarded at the 2007 Iranian Noor Festival.
Mevlut Akkaya, a lauded Turkish producer and director has been an active member of the international film community. His film ‘Toss Up’ won a record-breaking 11 prizes at the Antalya Film Festival. Joining these two judges will be Srinivasa Santhanam, a former deputy director of the International Film Festival of India.
Mokri’s ‘Fish and Cat’ as well as Akkaya’s ‘Night of Silence’ will be screened in the Netpac awards section.
Organized by the Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy of the southern Karnataka state government and supported by the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce, the festival will be held between December 4 and December 11.
